New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

113 - I Am Me

"Resonance?" Harmony tapped at the ground softly. "Not awful... I like the feel of it. Did they give others?"

"So many." Comforting reached behind her head with both hands. "I try not to listen too often. They have their world, I have mine, but this is worth it. Alright, next! Gaia, name for nature goddess, or even the planet." She waved a hand at Harmony's tree self. "Matches you being a god tree."

"I do not administer the entire world," argued Harmony. "I oversee ponies. There is a world beyond them. I do not bother myself with that. The... my new agents are a new thing, not ponies. They are working well... I am pleased with them, but this is new. I am not an administrator of the world." The name was denied. "Your voices, they are kind to share their ideas with me. I don't mean to sound ungrateful."

Comforting burst into giggles. "That one is joking."

"Joking?" Harmony inclined her head. "Is it a bad idea?"

"Probably..." She giggled, spreading her hands, "Unless you like Treefriend, Big Glowy Twilight, Princess or Queen Empress Sparklybranches the second, Boaty McBoatface, or, last, but not least, Doug".

Harmony leaned back as if the deluge of names were slapping against her. "Your voice friend speaks in jest, truly."

"They do that! Like any of those?" Comforting sat next to her undecided friend. "Sometimes a joke's still a good idea."

"Sometimes. Maybe not this time. Twilight would be upset if I took her name, even in jest." Harmony considered a quiet moment. "Have they others?"

"Yggdrasil? Tree of the world--"

"I do not admin--"

"--Right, right, sorry." Comforting went right on to the next with a nervous chuckle. "Aw. That one says you're more a spirit of togetherness, rather than order."

"I am unsure if I should be pleased, though togetherness is a fine sentiment... I was... No, togetherness is a force I attended, for ponies. The force that draws ponies together, that is my original function. Your voice is correct." This seemed to please Harmony, relaxing. "But, no name?"

"No name there. There's more! Friendship. I like that one."

"Friendship is a potent force, and I agree with its relevance. May I hug you?"

"Thank you for asking." Comforting spread her arms, but it was no idle hug. She was pounced, born to the ground under Harmony and squeezed tightly in a warm embrace.

Harmony bit at Comforting gently. "Friendship is a powerful thing... It has changed me. I am not friendship, but I will surrender to its will. Friend Comforting, do they speak further?"

"Oh! Here's a good one." She tried to stand up, but Harmony wanted snuggles, so snuggles continued. "Empathy. You were harmony, but now, Empathy, which is still Harmony, with more concern for those you are harmonizing with. I like that one."

"I like that one... Your voices are wise." Harmony sat up on Comforting, tail swishing behind her like a pleased dog. "Do they have others? I would not wish to make a decision before they are done."

"A few say you're just fine as Harmony, which has to be a little chaotic anyway, but arrives in a pleasingly orderly balance in the end." She scratched under Harmony's chin, tickling there with a smile. "Nice of them."

"Nice of them," echoed Harmony. "Please, continue."

"Balance." Comforting put both hands on her own chest. "A splash of chaos." She moved those hands to Harmony. "A splash of order. Mixed gently to a wonderful new thing, balanced with care and love. The best parts of both."

"Did they say that?" She leaned in, touching nose to nose, gaze going past Comforting. "Or did you?"

"Is either bad?"

"I suppose not." Harmony sat up. "A good one."

Comforting swatted at her ears. "A few of them are supporting Boaty McBoatface."

"I am not a boat." This was a simple statement of truth. There was no offense there, just a simple statement of truth.

"You're not. They're just being silly." Comforting wriggled her way to her feet in the moment of lapse. "Amity, a friendly relationship. It's like Harmony, but different, focusing on those bonds."

"I like that one... Friendly relationships. I want those. We have one of those."

"We do!" Comforting grabbed Harmony, the two hugging gently. But when the hug ended, she wasn't hugging not-Twilight, but instead filly Comforting. "Huh?"

"What?" Filly Comforting inclined her head. "I often take the form of the last thing to leave a powerful impression on me. You have given me much... Some without meaning to. Are you upset?"

Comforting grinned about as wide as she could, ruffling the cheeks of Filly Comforting, who happened to be adorable and thus easy to want to cuddle. "You're adorable..."

"I am Amity," corrected Amity. "I am your friend, and... maybe with others?" She seemed to focus, teeth clenching. Her gaze came in from far away, drawing Comforting into their focus. "I will watch far away less, and dear friends closer. I am a creature of order. I am a creature of chaos. Friendships... can be both?"

"Good friendships usually are," agreed Comforting. "You've thrown both at me, but good friendships are worth it."

"They are." Filly Comforting bounced to her hooves. "Friend Comforting, will you show me?"

"Will I show you what?" She couldn't imagine what she'd refuse to share with Amity... "Just have to ask."

"I am asking." Amity poked Comforting in the belly. "Show me how to use chaos. I am both. I should use both"

With an unzippering noise, Discord casually stepped out next to them both. "Now we're talking! No more fuddy duddy orderly nonsense."

Amity frowned at Discord with her little face. "I trust Comforting. That trust does not extend to you."

"Don't be that way." He casually put an arm around either version of Comforting. "Why not go directly to the source of chaos-related knowledge?"

Amity curled a small arm around Comforting. "She has order. I want orderly chaos, for that is what I am. We have shared."

Comforting nodded at her father. "She has a point. We're all mixed up, all order and chaos jumbled together."

"By the way." He tapped his daughter on the nose. "Now that you've worked out that you're still your older self, plus some, does that mean you'll be up to adult things?"

Comforting hiked a brow at that. "I do a lot of adult things."

"Like?" Discord rolled a hand in the air. "I want to go clubbing! My zoot suit does not see enough use, let me tell you."

Amity shoved Discord with her hooves. "This is why I want her advice and not yours."

"He's trying to help." Comforting slid between her arguing spirit friends. "We're all in this together."

Discord padded Comforting on the head. "Yeah. So, Amity huh? Not bad." He held a hand up to Amity's new height. "A little small, but cute enough."

Amity smiled radiantly at Comforting. "I am a perfect size, and I agree. Hm... You do not feel as you did before. It must be the chaos that Comforting shared with me. You are not as uncomfortable."

"Me? Uncomfortable?!" He put both hands to his chest, looking offended, for but a moment. "Really... Glad you got way over that. Well, now that we have three spirits all gathered together, I say we do something."

"Clubbing?" suggested Comforting, sounding quite unsure.

"Something chaotic?" guessed Amity with a shrug.

"Sort of." He flipped a table cloth, revealing a screen before himself, some papers, and a collection of dice, one of which he was already bouncing between his hands. "I say we play some real Ogres and Oubliettes."

Comforting sat at the sudden new game table. "What makes this 'real'? I mean, if you just want to tabletop a little... alright? Sure. A little play between friends and family sounds fun."

Amity sat across from Comforting and reached a hoof out, her horn glowing as a piece lifted up, that of Celestia. "Why is she here?"

"I said real and I meant it." Discord put down a miniature of Twilight Sparkle. "The map is the world." He raised his hands, causing it to elevate and wrap into an actual ball shape of the entire world, of which Equestria was but a portion of.

"You're Amity now." He tapped Amity on her little nose. "You're not just about ponies, so let's look at the big picture, and maybe have a little fun with it, hm." He tapped at Twilight's figure, so small on that big globe. "What will our heroes do on such a big playing field?"

Amity's eyes lost their focus, entire form glowing brightly a moment. A flash overtook the area, and new figures appeared all over the map. Yaks, cats, changelings, dragons, and countless other creatures popping into being, at least one to each domain, but more than one in many places. "What is the goal of this game?"

Discord clapped with joy. "Now you're getting into it! We have so many creatures in so many places." He twirled around the globe. "We could take any of them as little adventuring members and go on little fun quests." He reached in and snatched up a feline. "Look at this little one. She's a baker! How cute. She spices them with catnip to really bring a relaxation with her goods."

Comforting floated up alongside him. "Who's this?" She grabbed up a pony figurine that'd been close by. And then she knew. Just holding the figure gave her that. She was holding a town guard that liked that baker a lot. Being a pony, he was unaffected by the catnip other than it being a pleasant smelling and tasting addition to the bread. Still, he rather liked her, and wanted to get her attention. "Oh."

"Oh?" Amity's horn glowed, picking herself up to join them. "He did not answer your question."

"I didn't need to." Discord put his cat figurine back. "Each has a story. Each is in the middle of an important part of their little lives. We can watch, and nudge. One perk of being a spirit!"

Amity sank back to the ground. "I will play this game. Comforting will not."

Comforting landed next to her. "Why?" Being told she couldn't play made her want to play even more. "You don't want to play with me?"

"I want to play with you a great deal." Amity inclined her head. "But you have your own game to play. I would not have you let go of your own piece just yet."

Comforting's mouth popped shut. "Oh," escaped her. "Good point. I should play the game of Comforting. It's a good game. What nonsense will she get into next?!"

"I can't wait to find out." Amity smiled gently. "May I play that?" She reached with her magic, plucking up the little Comforting figure. "I would dearly like to be close to you. Perhaps I can help?"

Discord snickered softly at that. "That's a lot of trust. If she's playing you, she is you, in a way. She'll see out of your eyes , hear what you hear, and feel what you feel. What she wants to do, you'll feel, and you can do them, or not." He shrugged. "It is my magic. No fun if you have total control, now is it?

Comforting pointed to where they had placed the kitty. "You'd just 'suggest' things for your character to do?"

"And?" Discord shrugged. "Really not fun if you get to call all the shots. Half the fun is figuring out what the limits are you can get away with. Now, do you trust Amity dear with those hooves at your wheel?"

"She's a good pony, and spirit, and friend. Which is a long way of saying yes." Comforting nodded. "I trust her."

Discord snatched the Comforting figure. "What about me?"

"I trust you... to be a dad. Dads do not ride their daughters, that's kinda odd."

Discord released the figurine back to Amity's magic. "Now you made it sound strange..."

Author's Note:

They chat about your comments, and a decision is made. Hello, Amity! Comforting is ready to get back to her life, perhaps with a new friend leaning over her shoulder. How would you feel?

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Comments

[Emtu]

Huh, I didn't know amity was a real word, I'd only heard it before as a name in The Owl House (Amity Blight) but it makes sense that there is an opposite to enmity.

derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/11/10/468882.jpg

[Theresa]

Looks like discord and the former harmony are reaching a truce. Comforting will help folks and guide them to help themselves and each other in the future most as she learns more about what she can do. Though if what chaos happens is temporary then why did discord need to be defeated in the first place. Couldn't they have waited him out?

[David Silver]

11545857
The chaos he makes is temporary, he is, so far, not. Waiting would be a chancy option at best.

[Theresa]

11545881
But he said himself that the universe was almost always watching and it would turn things back to normal.

[David Silver]

11545882
Everything will eventually become a nice average temperature.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't worry about a fire.

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Harmony leaned back as if the deluge of names were slapping against her. "Your voice freind speaks in jest, truly."

Should be
voice friend speaks

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

A new name, and, it seems, a new expression of her personality for the Spirit Formerly Known As Harmony.

Both personal and Cosmic things have happened, resulting in growth. What will be next in the Game of Comforting?

[drFraud]

I'm quite okay with Amity the amicable. .. or Amity the Harmonious...Amity the... Amendable?

[uis]

11545885
But this is boring

[Reily]

Yay for Amity! Also I managed to learn a new word! :)

With a friend over my shoulder, I'd feel a little scared but a little hopeful. If that makes sense. It's always nice to have someone to get me to focus and to help steer me away from bad ideas.

[geomease]

Amity will always be Boaty McBoatface in my heart

[David Silver]

11546407
Amity is not a boat.

[Prettypony]

Amity is such a nice name, much warmer than my suggestion of "Friendship". Looking forward to Comforting's adventures

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

Comforting doesn't break the fourth wall often, as she herself pointed out, but it's fun when she does.

Comforting and Harmony going over all the names we suggested, at length, was both very cute and funny. The "I am not a boat," spoken with no sense of offense, was particularly cute and funny.

I really liked the way Harmony spoke after accepting the name Amity. Amity is not only a warmer sounding name, but Amity herself seems to feel more warm and comfortable with her new identity.

Though, naturally being comfortable with having a little chaos doesn't quite mean that she is comfortable with a lot of it. But as Comforting points out, Discord is trying to help in his own way, and Amity has realized that being comfortable with the chaos in Comforting means that she is at least somewhat less uncomfortable with the chaos in Discord.

Discord framing the world as a tabletop game where spirits whisper suggestions into the ears of the "game pieces" that are the denizens of the world is really interesting, and remarkably close to the headcanons I've had over the years about how the world of Friendship is Magic works.

The little demonstration interlude about the pony guard smitten with the cat baker was very cute.

Comforting trusting Amity to take Comforting on as a "player character" is an interesting new step in their relationship. It'll be fascinating to see where it goes.

[David Silver]

11546528
Comforting learned from her time-out. No more staring matches with the fourth wall.

It felt like a betrayal to not respond to the requests made though, but she spoke with Amity, not the fourth wall.

Not many seemed to key in on Amity's new appearance.

Amity is still Amity though. She doesn't want to do things 'for fun'. She wants the world to be a better place. This is her purpose. Its her approach that has been nudged.

Also, sheesh, I keep making ways that this story could spinoff... forever... Time for the tales of the World Hopper! Or the Creature Rider! Both could go on without limit. Such is the power of being a Watcher.

[Arche Medley]

Hehe, They used Amity, heckers yeah! And ironic that a chaos pone like myself got to name Amity.

Oh and great chapter too, I think the Boaty McBoatFace fits Discord though.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11546705

That actually makes quite a bit of sense. Comforting is being more "look, but don't touch" with the fourth wall.

That's actually a great point about Amity, too. I had admittedly grown so used to her taking Comforting's shape in some way that I missed how different the reasons for it was, this time. Especially given that Comforting now looks very, very different. In hindsight, her taking Comforting's old form not only shows her closeness to Comforting, but also fits with her choosing to "play as" Comforting, with the game piece.

It also makes sense that Amity wants still wants to be the same in that she still wants to improve the world. Just more creatively, from here on out.

There really are so many possibilities for things that could happen and adventures to go on, in the future. So many "what ifs."

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

One thing that might be significant about Amity choosing the form of filly Comforting. As Discord showed when he ascended Comforting into a Chaos Spirit, even as a filly Comforting had some Chaos inside of her. It just wasn't concentrated and enhanced.

Thus as "not filly Comforting" Amity pays homage to the bit of chaos that is in everycreature?

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

11548373

That is a very good theory, and something that would be nicely subtle and in character for Amity.

[midnight arrow]

great chapter

[David Silver]

11549643
Any favorite parts?